New manager wanted
The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Gesellschaft e.V. is looking for a new manager as of March 3, 2025. You can find the job advertisement here. We are looking forward to ...
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Museum
Jahn Society
Publications
Welcome
Welcome to the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Museum!
The museum in the former home of the founder of the German gymnastics movement, the "gymnastics father" Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, is part of the Freyburg Jahn Memorials.
After Jahn's death, the German Gymnastics Association (DT) created this historic ensemble, unique in the world, in the heart of the town of Freyburg, where gymnastics and gymnastics history are still at home today.
Jahn Gymnastics FestivalJahn Gymnastics Festival
Fresh, pious, cheerful, Freyburg!
Every year since 1901, gymnasts of all ages from 14 to over 90 meet on the penultimate weekend in August to do gymnastics together for three days in the open air.
With more than 1000 participants the Jahn-Turnfest is the biggest and oldest open-air gymnastics festival.
Jahn MuseumJahn Museum
Attention changed opening hours!
Special opening hours will apply from April 01, 2024 until further notice. During this time, the museum will be open from Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00.
The museum is closed from 23.12.2024 to 07.01.2025. Guided tours will only take place by appointment during this time.
Opening hours
April to October: Wed-Sa 10.00 - 16.00 h
November to March: Tue-Sat 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Contact
Museum Management & Executive Board
Stephanie Kaps
buero@jahn-museum.de
+49 34464 27426
President
Dr. Josef Ulfkotte
j.ulfkotte@t-online.de
MemorialsMemorials
The Jahn memorials are an ensemble consisting of authentic places of residence and activity and buildings that are an expression of the multifaceted Jahn reception.
Apart from the residential house, which Jahn built in 1838-1840 at the foot of the Neuenburg, the memorial gymnasium built in 1894, the hall of honour built in 1903 and the courtyard of honour created in 1936 belong to it.
Freyburg - residential house Learn More
Freyburg - Gym Learn More
Freyburg - Hall of Honour Learn More
Freyburg - Hall of Honour Learn More
Freyburg - residential house Learn More
Freyburg - Gym Learn More
MuseumDiscover
the museum
The Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Museum is the only museum in Germany that is dedicated to the life and work of Jahn and his environment, as well as to the history of his reception and the history and development of gymnastics.
In addition to the permanent exhibition and regular special exhibitions, the museum keeps a library with around 4000 titles on the history of sport and gymnastics accessible to those interested, organises cultural and scientific events and offers museum education.
ServicesMuseum Services
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn: life and work
The permanent exhibition on the ground floor of the residence provides a comprehensive insight into the life and work of the "gymnastics father" Friedrich Ludwig Jahn. [...]
Special exhibitions on sport and gymnastics history are regularly shown on the upper floor of the house.
Due to the preparations for the renovation, there are currently no special exhibitions.
The approximately 4000 titles of the museum library are available as reference holdings for researchers, students, pupils and historically interested persons. Â
We can produce scans and copies on request. Please use the contact form for your request. Please note that we need up to 3 weeks to process requests.
Contact: Dr. Ursula Altenburg                    info@jahn-museum.de
Here you will find all Information and prices for our offers. We ask that group tours be booked in advance. If you need further information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Contact: Stephanie Kaps buero@jahn-museum.de
There are also many interesting things to see for our little visitors. On guided tours suitable for children, children learn all kinds of interesting facts about the life of the "gymnastics father". For questions and arrangements please contact us.
Contact: Stephanie Kaps buero@jahn-museum.de
With over 15,000 objects, archives, photos and books, the Jahn Museum houses the largest sports history collection in Saxony-Anhalt. The museum collects on the life and work of Jahn, on Jahn's reception and the history of gymnastics, as a sport, as well as a political, national, social and educational phenomenon, and on its change from the beginning of the 19th century to the present.
Please feel free to send us any inquiries about our collection or loan requests. Please note that we need up to 3 weeks to process requests. Loan requests should be made at least three months prior to the start of the loan.
Contact: Dr. Ursula Altenburg                   info@jahn-museum.de
Here you will find comprehensive media information of the Fr.-L.-Jahn-Gesellschaft and the museum.
Contact: Stephanie Kaps
info@jahn-museum.de
Our service for pupils, students and researchers. In the login area we provide working, information and research material.Â
Contact: Stephanie Kaps buero@jahn-museum.de
BiographyWho was Friedrich Ludwig Jahn?
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn
Johann Friedrich Ludwig Christoph Jahn, known as Turnvater Jahn (* August 11.1778 on Lanz (Prignitz); † October 151852 on Freyburg (Unstrut)), was a GermanEducator, publicist and politician.
He initiated and established gymnastics under Napoleonic occupation. The ideas of the "German art of gymnastics" realized by him and his comrades-in-arms in the Berlin Hasenheide, can still be found in today's gymnastics business, as well as fundamental terms and designations introduced (created) by Jahn, which have found their way into the scientific gymnastics terminology of today. Thus Jahn has created the bases not only for the gymnastics enterprise, but to a large extent also for the today's sport enterprise. In addition, the form of organization on the Hasenheide, with its central features "voluntariness" and "self-organization" laid the foundation for today's (German) club system.
Since gymnastics was established as military training under Napoleonic occupation, Jahn's historical significance extends beyond the founding of gymnastics. He served as a volunteer recruiter and commander of the 2nd Battalion of the Lützow Free Corps, was a co-founder of the German Confederation and a member of the Paulskirche Parliament. Thus Friedrich Ludwig Jahn established the gymnastics movement not only in general but also as a national movement, i.e. as an explicitly political phenomenon, between the years 1811 and 1815.
Biography
On August 11, 1778 Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was born in Lanz (Priegnitz) as the son of the village pastor. [...]
Exhibition
The permanent exhibition on the ground floor of the residence provides a comprehensive insight into the life and work of the "gymnastics father" Friedrich Ludwig Jahn, [...]
Jahn Society
The Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Society is a non-profit association based in Freyburg an der Unstrut. It dedicates its activities to the goal of researching the life and work of the founder of the gymnastics movement in Germany and his environment, as well as the reception and history of gymnastics associated with him, and to bring these findings to the attention of a broad public. To this end, it operates the Friedrich Ludwig Jahn Museum in Freyburg an der Unstrut and maintains relations with the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB), the regional gymnastics associations, but also with universities, schools, museums and organisations that feel committed to this cause.
InformationCurrent information
COVID-19 Current Note
Update: 21.10.2022
Dear visitors!
According to the current Corona Protection Ordinance, mask and testing requirements as well as participant limitations are waived. Out of consideration for particularly endangered persons in the building, we recommend wearing mouth/nose protection and keeping your distance from other visitors. Please observe basic hygiene measures (washing hands, coughing into the crook of your arm). If you notice any signs of covid disease (cough, exhaustion, fever), please refrain from visiting us.
We thank you for your understanding!
ATTENTION: Changed opening hours
From April 01, 2024 until further notice, the Jahn Museum will change its opening hours. The museum will be open from Wednesday ...
learn more Jahn-Report No. 57 published
The new "Jahn Report" is here: The new issue, the 57th installment since July, was published before Christmas ...
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